NORTH MELBOURNE 5.3 8.9 13.10 17.11 (113)
CARLTON 2.2 3.4 6.5 6.10 (46)
Goals -Â North Melbourne: L Thomas 3 T Goldstein 3 B Brown 2 B Harvey 2 J Waite 2 J Ziebell 2 R Nahas 2 F Ray. Carlton: L Jones 2 A Walker D Gorringe D Thomas K Simpson.
Best - North Melbourne: Goldstein, Dal Santo, Ziebell, Tarrant, Swallow. Carlton: Kerridge, Docherty, White
Umpires: Shaun Ryan, Luke Farmer, Craig Fleer.
Official Crowd: 38,419 at Etihad Stadium
Having just held on for victory against St Kilda a fortnight ago, and conceded eight of the last 10 goals against Essendon last week, there was a feeling unbeaten North Melbourne was vulnerable against Carlton on Saturday night.
The Blues, after all, were also a team in form, although their depth was to be severely tested with big men Matthew Kreuzer and Levi Casboult injured against the Power last week.
Those worries, though, about the Roos proved to be ill-founded, for the dominance of Todd Goldstein in the ruck, Jack Ziebell at the coal-face and Nick Dal Santo in space helped the Roos to a 67-point victory at Etihad Stadium -  their ninth-straight win, a club record start to the season.
While some still question whether the Roos are good enough to win the premiership, what was clear was that they are a far better unit than the Blues, who had sought a fifth-straight win for the first time since 2000. Tougher tests await the Roos in the next month when they face Sydney, Richmond, Geelong and Hawthorn.
Football can be a simple game when one team boasts the best ruckman in the league, and the Roos have this man in Goldstein. They dominated the clearances 15-9, including 7-0 at the centre bounce, in the first term, and this was pivotal in opening an early break the Blues were not able to breach. Goals directly from centre clearances and stoppage around the ground would flow for the rest of the match.
The Blues had turned to former Sun Daniel Gorringe to handle the tap work but that midfielder Bryce Gibbs had more hit outs to quarter time (three) as the third-man up than Gorringe (two) was a worry.
Goldstein, an All Australian last year, was superb by hand and when with ball, and added three goals to his name in the third term - one when he morphed into a speedy rover - to shut the door on any thoughts the Blues had of a revival.
"We know we still have a lot of work to do. We are only winning some quarters here and there," Goldstein said.
Former Blue Jarrad Waite did not have a disposal in the first term - and was reminded of this by his one-time teammates and supporters. But he was a threat thereafter, and clearly enjoyed his first major early in the second as a result of a free kick. Fellow talls Ben Brown and Drew Petrie - the latter held by Simon White - were also a reminder of what the Blues are lacking.
The Roos would have been pleased with how Farren Ray, at his third club, fitted in, while Robbie Tarrant marshalled a defensive arc that, at times, was put under sustained pressure.
The Blues' defensive press made it tough for the Roos to negotiate a way out and their new system under Brendon Bolton will engineer more wins this year. But a lack of goal-kicking options will make life difficult against the best sides.
Liam Jones booted two goals in the third term but he and Sam Rowe had little influence on the contest, and only a free kick to Kade Simpson in front of goal in the shadows of half-time ensured the Blues were not left red-faced in that term.
Where skipper Marc Murphy and Gibbs had been instrumental in the recent wins, that was not the case against the Roos. Patrick Cripps, who had hurt his knee against the Power, appeared to be restricted by this. He would have only a handful of kicks.
Dale Thomas, after a strong fortnight, faded after booting the opening goal of the night but the Blues found drive through Sam Kerridge.
Where the Blues' veterans lacked impact, the same could not be said of Brent Harvey. In match 418, his pace and enthusiasm have not waned. Nor have his niggling tactics, for he found himself on the wrong end of what appeared to be a punch into the mid-riff by Gibbs in the first term - the pair having clashed minutes earlier.
Votes
CARLTON v NORTH MELBOURNE
(Jon Pierik)
9: Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)
8: Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne)
7: Nick Dal Santo (North Melbourne)
7: Robbie Tarrant (North Melbourne)
7: Sam Kerridge (Carlton)